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News & Views - July, 2001 Issue (page
3)
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Page 3 of 3 - Previous
MU PROFESSOR TO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING
FOR TEACHERS
(June 7, 2001) University of Missouri-Columbia professor, James Koller,
is creating The Center for the Advancement of Mental Health Practices in the Schools. Its goal is to “ensure that teachers, school
administrators, school psychologists and other school personnel are knowledgeable about mental health promotion, know how to identify
and intervene in mental health problems, and understand how to work with the public mental health system in serving all children.”
The center will offer a master’s degree program and help with undergraduate academic training, emphasizing, mental health awareness
and prevention.
WISCONSIN NATL. GUARD CHALLENGE ACADEMY OFFERS 17 MONTH PROGRAM
(June 20, 2001) The National Guard’s Youth Challenge Program
in Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, 608-269-4605 is designed to provide early intervention for at-risk youth. The 17- month program is divided
into two phases. The 5-month residential phase of “high impact, quasi-military environment conducted at Fort McCoy,” is followed by
a 12-month post-residential phase that provides a carefully selected, trained mentor who requires weekly contact and monthly reports.
In the later phase, the cadet earns a stipend and must either be enrolled in an educational program and employed part time, or be
employed fulltime in military service.
SHARPE FARMS WORKERS ARRESTED
(June 29, 2001) Yahoo! News, reported five workers at
Sharpe Farms and Heartland Community Center near Monticello, Missouri, were “arrested Thursday on child abuse charges and released
on bail.” The cause was “forcing children to stand in a manure pit as punishment.” The religious center “works with about
200 children and teen-agers from around the country who are sent there by their parents.” Woodbury Reports has never heard of
Sharpe Farms, nor is it included in our extensive Local Resources listing. Also, the program apparently has never been interested
in having skeptical independent educational consultants review their program which is what happens when a program contacts us.
ANOTHER BOOT CAMP DEATH
(July 3, 2001) The Arizona Republic, reported the
death of a 14 year old outside Buckeye, Arizona in a program called America’s Buffalo Soldiers boot camp. The Maricopa County
Sheriff Joe Arpaio shut down the camp and is launching investigations into what he called “horrific” allegations, including having
to eat dirt. Boot camps for troubled youth are based on a harsh, para-military environment of punishment and drill sergeants.
This is the latest in a series of boot camp deaths that started in the early 90s with a death at a Wilderness Challenger program in
southern Utah that advertised itself as “Boot Camp for Troubled Teens.” It was followed by two additional deaths in spin off programs,
and has continued with several deaths in publicly and privately owned programs since then.
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